


Waterworks

by blakefancier



Series: The Continuing Adventures of Howard Stark, Age: Two [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-01-15
Packaged: 2018-01-08 19:47:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1136656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve and Tony try to give Howard a bath. He objects.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waterworks

**Author's Note:**

> This is a ficlet I wrote and posted on tumblr some time ago. It's a post-Young Lovers AU, where Howard is turned into a toddler. That means both Steve and Tony are about 26 and are working with SHIELD as part of the Avengers Initiative. Steve and Howard have been married for seven years when, by accident or Loki, Howard is turned into a two year old.

Howard Stark did not like water. He didn't like rain or puddles or swimming pools and he most certainly didn't like baths. And since he was all of two years old, he objected the only way he knew how: by screaming at the top of his lungs and thrashing wildly.

"Jesus Christ, do something, Steve!" Tony pressed back against the wall, staring at his dad.

"I’m trying. He's slippery!" Steve tightened his grip. "Come on, Howard, it's just a bath. See, it even has bubbles."

Howard took a deep breath and screamed, "Nooooooooo!"

"You can have ice cream afterwards," Steve said and let out an 'oof' when Howard kicked him in the thigh.

"No, no, no, no, no! No bath!" Howard twisted and did his best to bite Steve's arm.

"You bite me and I'll drop you in the water, Howard, I swear I will!"

Howard suddenly went limp, exhaustion and fear getting the better of him. He opened his mouth, but this time, instead of screaming, he began to cry. "No…"

"Oh God! Oh God" Tony flung his hands in the air. "He's crying. We broke my dad, Steve. We broke him."

Steve sighed and shifted Howard so that he was against Steve's chest. "We didn't break him. Shhh, Howard, it's okay. It's okay."

Howard buried his face against Steve's shoulder and sobbed pitifully.

Steve gently patted Howard on the back and crooned softly. "No bath, Howard. We won't give you a bath, okay?"

"Sucker," Tony said and wrapped a towel around Howard.

"Shut up or next time you can try wresting him into the bathtub."

"No," Howard said softly and blew snot all over Steve's shoulder.

"Gross, Dad. Really gross."

Howard lifted his head and blew a raspberry at Tony; Tony blew one right back.

"Grab his pajamas, Tony." Steve looks down at Howard. "You need to blow your nose on something that's not my shirt and brush your teeth. Then I'll read you some of The Hobbit before bed. Do you like The Hobbit?"

Howard didn't know what that was, but he nodded anyway.

Steve smiled and kissed Howard's forehead. "Good."

Tony scoffed quietly, then said, "You'd be a good dad, you know that?"

"Yeah, sure, of a really dirty kid."

"Eh, we'll hose him off in the backyard tomorrow. He'll be fine. Won't you, rugrat?"

"Batman pajamas," Howard said. "Not stupid Iron Man."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Everybody's a critic. Just remember I wiped your ass, old man. You owe me. You owe me a lot."

Howard turned away from Tony and buried his face against Steve's neck; Tony talked a lot. Steve hugged him and kissed him again; Howard smiled. This was good, even if he did have to brush his stupid teeth.


End file.
